The National Weather Service predicts near-normal seasonal conditions over the next three months in most of Alaska. Climate Science and Services Manager Rick Thoman says the only exceptions may be in western and northwestern Alaska, where there's a fair chance of above-normal temperatures and precipitation, and in the eastern Interior and Southeast panhandle, where there's a chance of a cooler-than-normal temperatures.

The company that sent the first big luxury cruise ship through U.S. and Canadian Arctic waters is preparing the Crystal Serenity for a repeat performance in 2017. But one expert believes this year’s historic transit doesn’t mean the Arctic is likely to become a hotspot for global shipping anytime soon.